it's just standard medical protocol, frankie...
A thorough travel history performed by all members of a healthcare team in the ED— including nurses, doctors, nursing practitioners or physician assistants–is vital to ensure that patients are adequately assessed for Ebola virus as a potential explanation for symptoms as vague as fever, abdominal pain or diarrhea, especially in the setting of the worse outbreak of Ebola since it was first identified in 1976.
...
Having a heightened awareness for Ebola is also essential for all front line medical providers when evaluating patients with fever and gastrointestinal symptoms, along with recent travel from West Africa or surrounding countries. Any contact with persons who may have been ill with fever in West Africa, as well as contact with a body at a burial site would further raise suspicion for Ebola as a potential pathogen. Recent exposure to wild antelopes, monkeys or even fruit bats would be even more concerning.
Performing a thorough travel history for Mr. Duncan–via a checklist and strict protocol- would have likely led medical staff to place him in isolation, followed by notification of the CDC with subsequent testing for Ebola. The end result would be a reduction in risk of exposure to members of the hospital and community.
Some experts have pointed to the failure of communication by certain members of the healthcare team in evaluating the patient for Ebola. In fact, it has been reported by several new sources that nursing staff were aware that the man had come from Liberia. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of all members of the healthcare team to obtain a travel history–as a system of checks and balances–in this heightened state of Ebola awareness.
Evaluating patients for disease or potential infection is enhanced not only by understanding symptoms, but specific risk factors such as recent high-risk travel and geographic risk factors to complete the puzzle.
Repetition of his travel history–and not relying on just one member of a team to perform a specific action may have prevented his discharge from the ED and exposure of others in the hospital and community to the virus.
Ebola In The ER The Importance Of Taking A Travel History - Forbes
Well that's closing the barn door after the disease vector has roamed around a major US city
I apologize for my earlier remarks also, Valerie. I'm incensed because the USA has hit an iceberg, is listing badly to port and people are still acting like it's a joke
